St. Francis, Kansas             a look at the past

Still equipment at court house with Leonard Burnham on right

In April of 1889, the Lincoln Land Company gave the city ground for a wooden frame courthouse which was used until 1924. The building was forty feet by sixty feet by twenty feet high. It replaced the temporary building used as the courthouse located in Bird City. At a later date, that building was used as the County poorhouse.

The citizens of St. Francis built the first court house for $2,460. The building stood where the current band shell now stands in the park east of the present courthouse. The architect was Kincaid & Eaton.

The court house was dedicated on July 7, 1925 with nearly 5,000 enjoying the festivities. The architect for the new court house was Thomas W. Williamson & Co. Thomas Howard was the construction company.